Coupling



Patented May 22, 1923.A

.s'mrfs. rArENr clerics.

ooUrLInG.

Application filed July 2'1, 192,1. Serial No. 486,480.-

To all lwhom it 'may' cof/wem.' B e it known that we, ADoLrH BAGKER and` WILLIAMKAMMERELR, citlzens of the United States; residing at Los Angeles, y

`in the county` vof Los Angeles and Statewo California, have invented newv and useful Improvements in Couplings, of which the following is a specification. v

` This invention has to do with a coupling for tubing, rods, and the like, and it is an lobject of the invention to provide a simple, effective, improved device of this character.

In this disclosure 'we .refer to the invention as applied to a drill stem of a well drilling apparatus as it is v.particularly adapted for such application it being'understood, however, that it maybe applied to sucker rods, casings, or in fact, any members of this general character.

It is an object yof theinvention to provide `a coupling which is secure 4and which forms a positive driving connection. The present coupling will secure two members `together so that. one of them. can bedriveno'r rotated from the other and tends to become tighter and more secure when in operation.l The fact that the coupling tends to become tighter and more secure whenin operation is an importa-nt feature in that it obviates all posy sibility of the coupling working loose and allowing the members. to become separated,

A distinctive feature of thepresent invention is the provision of 'a coupling which can' be easily and quickly arranged to form adriving connection between twoA members.

without necessitating manipulation of either of the members. This feature is particu- -larly desirable in connection with well drilling and pumping apparatus where lthe members being connected are cumbersome and heavy andare difficult to manipulate and turn. 4

The various objectsand features of the invention will be best and more fully understood from the following detailed description of a typical embodiment ofthe invention throughout which reference is had to the accompanying `drawings in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the coupling arranged to connect two adjacent drill stem.

sections; Fig. 2 is a vertical detail sectional view of the parts shown -in Fig. 1 beinFg a view taken as indicated by line 2-2 on ig.

1; Fig. 3 is a` transverse sectional-view taken RIGKEN- :1s-indicated by line 3-3 on Fig. 1; and Fig. l

'4 is a transverse sectional viewtaken as indicated by line 4-4 on 2.

Throughout the drawmgs numeralsl() and 11 designate adjacent drill vstem-sections constem. sections, are. tubular members having longitudlnal openings 13 extending through v them andhaving their end portions externallyscrew.threaded.'

The coupling 12 provided by 'the present vinvention comprises, generally, a lug part e14ada`pted to be secured to the end of` one i of the drill stem sections, a socket part 15 adapted to be secured to the end of theother drill stem section and to' co-operatewith the lug part 14, and a sleeve 50'which` co-oper'- `ates withthe lug and socket parts to vconnect and hold them together in co-operative relation. The lug part 14, in accordance with prises a round inner'portion 16 and-a lug 17 extending from the'inner-portion 16. The inner .portion 16 is vround in cross' sectional configuration and is formed with a central longitudinal opening l 18. Threads are formed inthe wall of the opening 1.8', so that the lug part 14 can be screw threaded onto the end portion of a drill stem section in the vvthe preferred form of the invention, commanner clearly shown in Fig.`2. lThe inner` end 19 of the lug part 14 is preferablyta-v pere'd to for-m atapered shoulder as shown t in Fig. 2'while 'the shoulder'20 formed between the inner portion 16 4and the lug 17 is square, or truly transverse to thelongitu'dinal axis of the lug part. The lug`17, which is somewhat smaller than the innerl portion 16, extends from the shoulder' 20. The lug 17 is `.arranged ooncentrically with the inner porton 16., ispol'ygonal in cross sectional configuration, preferably square, and is provided with a central longitudinal opening 21 which forms a continuation'l of the opening 18 in the inner portion 16.

The socket part 15is provided at its 'outer end portion with a round opening 22, and at its inner end portion with a polygonal opening 23. The openings 22 :and 23 join 'each other lat the middle portion. of the socket part and together form an opening 'which extends cQmpletel longitudinally through the socket part.

e outer portlon of the.

socket part is internally screw thrcadeiil, that is threads a e 'round in the wall ci the opening 22, to receive the end portion ot a drill stein section. '.l`he polygonal opening', :23 which we will hereinafter terni the socket, corresponds in configuration. to the i ing an opening 3l extending intoit troni one end and an openingll), extending into it troni the other end. rl`he opening 232 is somewhat smaller than the opening` 3l and where it joins the opening 3l llornis a shoulder 323 which is pre'lierabl;i tapercdto correspond to the bevel or taper et the end l2) ot the lug part. The'opening lll is sullcien. .a Y shdably receive the lug part' l@V nd its ot part is internally screw threaded so that it will receive and cooperate with the screw' threaded .inner portion ol the socket part l5 in the manner illustrated in Fien The openingr 32 in the sleeve 50 is just sullicientlv large to slidably receive a drill stcln section and is arranged on the drill stein section which carries the lug part lt so that the lug part is in the inner portion ot the opening 31 as'illustrated in Fig'. 2. ln accordance with the in threads on the ends of the drill stein section are the saine, that is, are hoti lett handed or` right handed (in the device shown in the drawings theyl are both right handed), so that the threads in the luibf` part 1l and in the socket part 13 are likewise the saine, or are right handed. lVith this :torination rotation of vthe drill stein section l0 in a clockwise direction as indicated hy the arrow in Fig. l will cause its end portion to screw thread or tighten into the lug part let, and, when the lug l? is in place in thcsoclet 23, will cause the socket part to screw vention the `thread or tighten onto the drill stein section The threads on the socket part l5 and in the opening,- Si are, however, opposite to those ot the drill stein section, or are lett` handed. Rotation of the sleeve 50 in the direction indicatedhy the arrow inlig. l,

parts le and 15 together is due tothe end loit 'the lug;` part once proper-l the lug 17 cti-operates with 19 o f shouit in tno sier hein to correspond .into the opening in hold the collar rlo connect i n the sleeve 5K5 i ot' one ol the fsc ew threaded o 'ein section, and tnreaded onto the eed oi stein section. ifi so ug part M onto a drill st Y lay he applied tothe lug i7.

lfl and l5 are properly am place the drill stein'sections may. longitudinally together until tix. place in the socket 25. "iX/Vlie; place in the'soc'liet the siffreew-threaded onto on ot the sleeve `iositelv di L et a the socket part v may hey providedwith o (l J- 4 l nat sides l0 for the rece lll/hen Ithe sleeve has L rely held together in ope he oint 'eady for operation. Duringg oooratien the r tation ot the drill stern secn tion 'l0 -coinlnunicated to the drill stein section. ll through the parts lait and diie to the co-operation et thel lug 17 and socket 23 and the two drill stern sections are held "etherwith the lug l? in cooperative relan with the socket by the sleeve 50.. hen the drill stein-section l0 is rotated in the direction indicated the arrow in Fig. l it tends to tighten in the lug part la and the socket part 3.5 tends 'to tighten on the' drill stein section lr. The sleeve 50, in eX-v tending or projecting outward of the other parts ot the joint and of the drill stem-sections, engages, or occasionally rubs, the l? walls ot' the casingin which thedrill stem is operating and is thereby caused to tighten on the socket part l5.

From the Aforegoing description it will he understood how two drill stein sections may R35 be easily and quickly connected without rotation ot'eitherof them and how the connection between the drill stein sections may loe broken at any time oy ljin@ the sleeve 50 from the socket part i5. Releaseu nient ot the coupling, that is, disengagement ot the sleeve 50 from the soci; t 15,1nay be eltected at the derriclr of thV ell or may 1oe ettectedin the well the aid of suitable tools. Further, it may be pointed out that socket 23` not only to form a driving con ation between the parts lland l5, and theretore thedrill stem sections, but also to bring the lll and l5 into perfect alignment so that the von the end of eachmernber,

sleeve 50 can be readily slid downwardly over the part 14 and screw threaded onto the part 15.

l'laving`described onli;v a preferred form of our invention we do not wish to limitY claims.

Having descrlbed a preferred form of ourA invention, we claim: e

l. A device for'connecting two members comprising, two parts, one screw threaded and a sleeve for connectingsaid parts the sleeve havinfr screw threaded engagementA with one of said parts, the screw threaded engagements bei tween the members and parts beingl alike and opposite to that between the sleeve and the part.

2. A device for connecting two members comprising, two abutting parts cooperating so that they eannot be rotated relative to each other when together, one screw threaded 0n the end of each member. and a sleeve for holding-said parts-together' the sleeve having screw threaded engagement with one of said parts, the screw threaded engagements between the members and parts being alike and opposite to that between the sleeve and the part.

3. A device for connecting two membersv having openings through them comprising` two parts, one screw-threaded on the en of each member, a central socket in one of the parts, a central lug on the other part adapted to cooperate with the socket to prevent relative rotary movement between the parts, the parts having registering openings through them, and a said parts, the sleeve having screw threaded engagement with one of the parts, the screw threaded engagements between the members and parts being alike and opposite to that between the sleeve and the part.

In witness that We claim the foregoing we have hereunto subscribed our names this 13th day of July 1921.

ADOL'PH RICKENBACKER. WILLIAM KAMMERER.

Witness:

' VIRGINIA BERINGER.

sleeve for connecting 

